Graduate Application Information
If you have questions on the status of your application, please email the Graduate Coordinator Assistant, Marianne Mangone (marianne@ufl.edu) or the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Harry S. Sitren (sitren@ufl.edu). Please include your full name and the eight-digit UFID number assigned to you by the University.
Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida.
The following departmental information supplements that available from other University web sites. Although Graduate School Requirements are relatively uniform across academic units, department policies are stipulated below.
Department Admission Procedure
Except for the Combined M.S.-Dietetic Internship program, students may commence Fall, Spring, or Summer semester. There is no set departmental application deadline. However, if you are an international student, it is best to get everything to the University and the Department early, so that if you are accepted, you can meet deadlines for visa applications, etc. Once all application materials are received and verified by the Graduate School admissions office, a decision to accept or deny is usually made within three weeks. To be competitive for a Teaching Assistantship and certain other financial aid, it is recommended that applications be received by early January for the Fall semester start date.
The application deadline for the Combined M.S.-Dietetic Internship program is usually in early January, except for those desiring the Sports Nutrition emphasis, which has a deadline of early December. For specific deadline dates for the M.S.-Dietetic Internship program, please go here for more information or e-mail Dr. Gail Kauwell (gpk@ifas.ufl.edu). Matriculation begins in the Fall semester, except for the Sports Nutrition emphasis, which begins in the Summer semester.
Generally, for direct admission to our Master of Science programs, applicants should have a competitive GRE score and an undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0=A) over the last 60 credits (junior and senior years). A minimum 3.0 average in core science courses is essential. Requirements for admission to our Ph.D. programs are generally higher than those for the M.S. programs. Under certain circumstances and with justification, a slightly lower GRE or GPA may be the basis for conditional admittance.
Graduate student mentoring is a high priority to our faculty. Consequently, some applicants with otherwise acceptable credentials are denied admission because there is no faculty member able to make the necessary commitment of laboratory space and/or supervision time. Thus, evidence of exceptional promise is essential in order to interest appropriate faculty.
Specific Admissions Information
The application must be submitted online. Supporting materials include the following:
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Graduate Record Examination (GRE ) aptitude scores (sent directly from ETS). The GRE code for the University of Florida is 5812 and for the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department is 0107. The scores must be sent to both the University and the Department.
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Complete official transcripts. Direct admission to our Master of Science programs requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0=A) over the last 60 credits (junior and senior years). A 3.0 average in science courses is essential. Send an original copy to both the Registrar’s office and the department.
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Listing of courses in progress or planned if you are still matriculating
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Three letters of recommendation. They can be sent online by the referee, with your application materials, or separately. They must be sealed with the signature of the recommender written across the back of the envelope.
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Statement of educational objectives and career goals (Statement of Purpose). You may send the Statement of Purpose with your application materials or enter it online with your admission application.
Materials should be sent to:
- Graduate Coordinator
Food Science and Human Nutrition Department
395 Newell Drive, FSHN Bldg
University of Florida
PO Box 110370
Gainesville, FL 32611-0370
For International Students Only
In addition to the precious requirements international students must submit the following:
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Test of English as a Foreign Language score (TOEFL). The University requires a minimum score of 213 (computer based), 80 (internet based), or 550 (paper based). The TOEFL code is 5812 for the University of Florida and 99 for our Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. The scores must be sent to both the University and the Department
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Proof of complete financial support from his/her government, a document detailing fellowship support from an international agency or a written statement from one or more faculty members in our Department who agree to provide financial support from grant or contract funding. The support must cover the entire matriculation.
Statement of Educational Objectives and Career Goals (Statement of Purpose)
Please pay particular attention to the Statement of Purpose letter required by the Department as part of your admission application. Cogent, thoughtful, well-written essays are most likely to draw the positive attention of evaluating faculty.
In developing your statement of purpose, be sure to make the important distinction between our three graduate tracks. These are: M.S. and Ph.D. programs in both Food Science & Technology and in Nutritional Sciences, and a Combined Master Degree - Dietetic Internship Program. There may be some overlap in a graduate degree program; however, selection criteria and evaluating faculty vary depending upon your stated area of interest. If you are unclear, please review our Web Page faculty interest and program descriptions or contact the Graduate Coordinator (FSHNGrad@ifas.ufl.edu). Applying to the inappropriate program complicates and lengthens the evaluation process.
Questions About Your Application
If you have questions on the status of your application, please email the Graduate Coordinator Assistant, Marianne Mangone (marianne@ufl.edu) or the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Harry S. Sitren (sitren@ufl.edu). Please include your full name and the eight-digit UFID number assigned to you by the University.
